Lancaster

Lancaster's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census show there were changes in marriage, religion and health.

The population reached nearly 140,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Lancaster increased by 3.3%, from just under 134,000 to 138,000.

The addition of almost 4,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Lancaster was home to, on average, 1.7 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was lower than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

More single people in Lancaster

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Lancaster, but at a slower rate than in Canterbury, a statistically similar local authority area.

In Lancaster, the proportion of single people increased from 33% in 2001 to 37% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in Canterbury increased from 32% to 39%.

Across the North West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 30% to 36%.

The proportion of married people in Lancaster fell from 47% to 44%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 11% to 12%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Lancaster

The number of people in Lancaster that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 18,000 in 2001 to about 34,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 14% to 24% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the North West (from 10% to 20%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Lancaster that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 100,000 in 2001 to about 91,000 in 2011 (from 76% to 66%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 12,000 to about 9,800 (from 8.7% to 7.1%).

Just under 1,800 people (0.6%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 790 in 2001 (1.3%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Lancaster increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Lancaster by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Lancaster residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.9% to 5.8% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of Lancaster residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Lancaster decreased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Lancaster, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in home ownership

The percentage of households that owner their home fell here, but at a slower rate than in Canterbury.

In Lancaster, the proportion of home ownership decreased from 73% in 2001 to 69% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in Canterbury decreased from 72% to 66%.

Across the North West, the share of households that owner their home decreased from 69% to 65%.

Private renting in Lancaster increased from 15% to 19%, while the rate of social housing remained close to 10.0%.

The rate of home ownership was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that that owner their home across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Lancaster, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.8% to 10% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in three (33%) households had only a single person, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of households in Lancaster, which comprised a married couple (with or without children), decreased from 33% to 31%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.8% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Lancaster increased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lancaster, the North West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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